1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optoelectronic monitoring device for a motor vehicle.
2. Background Art
Such a monitoring device is known from, e.g., EP 0 832 798 A2. This monitoring device is used as a rain sensor and includes an imaging system for imaging water drops on a section of the windshield of a motor vehicle onto a camera sensor. The imaging system has a lens pointed from the interior of the motor vehicle towards the windshield. The lens is focused on the detected windshield section. The camera sensor is positioned in the region of the interior rearview mirror looking forward in the direction of travel. The detected image data is evaluated by a processing unit. The processing unit controls a wiping motor as a function of the detected image data.
With the imaging system and the camera sensor, it is only possible to detect water drops on the windshield of a motor vehicle. In the automotive field, optical sensors are also used to detect additional optical information. For example, such sensor systems can be applied to the detection of the position of the sun, to the control of headlights, or to the monitoring of the motor vehicle interior. All of these systems use photoelectric sensor arrays and corresponding imaging systems.